Collapsible and reusable container



p 15, 1964 A. J. GARDINER 3,148,821

QOLLAPSIBLE AND REUSABLE CONTAINER Filed April 4, 1962 2 Shets-Sheet 1 INVENTOR ALBERT J. GARD/NER BY W vii/ W ATTORNEY Sept. 15, 1964 A. J. GARDINER 3,148,821

COLLAPSIBLE AND REUSABLE CONTAINER Filed April 4, 1962 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENTOR ALBERT J. GA/w/A/ER ATTORNEY United States Patent 3,148,821 COLLAPSELE AND REUSABLE CONTAINER Albert J. Gardiner, Rte. 1, Box 87, Waldorf, Md. Filed Apr. 4, 1962, Ser. No. 185,044 2 Claims. (Cl. 229-41) The present invention relates to improvements in containers or cartons and has as its primary object the provision of a container which is constructed and arranged in such a manner as to be readily assembled to a set up condition from a normal storage condition.

Another object of this invention is to enhance the durability and strength of a collapsible carton or container of conventional construction.

A further object of the invention is the provision of a reusable container having storage space for packing separators in the collapsed position thereby minimizing the amount of storage space required for the container once it has been collapsed and is awaiting reuse.

A still further object of the invention is the provision of a container or carton which is readily collapsed after its initial assembly for use, thereby minimizing the space required for the transportation of the container when not packed with articles or objects for which it is intended.

Another object of the invention is the provision of a container or carton of the character indicated is to permit the transportation and storage by individuals such as farmers with limited storage capacity of greater numbers of cartons, thereby eliminating numerous trips for the purpose of collecting reusable containers.

The foregoing objects as well as additional objects and advantages will be readily apparent in the course of the following detail description taken in connection with the accompanying drawings for illustrating a preferred embodiment of the invention and wherein:

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of the said collapsible container in a closed position.

FIG. 2. is a perspective view of the said collapsed container in an expanded condition.

FIG. 3 is an expanded view of a form of latch for the corners of the said collapsible container.

FIG. 4 is a perspective view of said collapsible container in a partially collapsed position.

FlG. 5 is a perspective view of said collapsible container in the fully collapsed and closed position.

Referring in detail to the drawings, wherein like numerals designate like parts throughout the several views, the illustrated container may be formed from a suitable horizontal, or longitudinal, elongated blank which is well known in the art of folding and collapsible containers and cartons and is further illustrated by U. S. Letters Patent Number 2,645,405.

Referring to FIG. 2 of the drawings, the collapsible container is formed of a longitudinally elongated rectangular bottom panel 12 to whose opposite ends are attached similar first and second inner rectangular end panels 14 and 16 respectively. The end panels 14 and 16 each have transverse fold lines 18 and 2%) respectively, thereby permitting the end panels to be bent about said fold lines whereby the portions 19 and 21 respectively of the end panels above the fold lines may be placed in a position at right angles to the bottom portions 15 and 17 respectively of the end panels below the fold lines as illustrated in FIG. 4 of the drawings. Then end panels have hand hold slots 22 and 24 respectively near their upper edges.

Conventional flaps 26 and 28 respectively may be attached along the upper edge of the end panels 14 and 16. At the upper outwardly facing right hand and left hand corners of the end panels are attached a portion 23 of a latch, said latch portion having a cut-out 25 therein which is 3,148,821 Patented Sept. "15, 1964 adapted to interengage a cut-out 27 of another latch portion 29. In the inside facing side of the bottom panel 12 is attached a dividerpanel or flap 30 having a transverse fold line 31 at a distance along and corresponding to the fold lines 18 and 20 of the end panels 14 and 16 respectively, such that the upper portion 33 can be placed in a position at right angles to the lower portion 34 of the divider panel-or flap or may be erect and in a plane parallel to the end panels 14 and 16 when said end panels are in the erect or uncollapsed position when said divider panel folded the lower portion 34 of the divider panel or flap is in a plane parallel to the plane of the lower portions and 17 respectively of the end panels and the upper portion above the fold line 31 of the divider panel or flap may be readily placed in a plane parallel to the plane of the upper portions 19 and 21 respectively of the end panels 14 and 16 when said end panels are in the collapsed position.

The said container further comprises a first side panel 44 and a second side panel 46 which are connected to the bottom panel 12 along the opposite longer ends of said bottom panel 12. The side panels 44 and 46 respectively each have a transverse fold line 48 and 50 respectively as illustrated in FIGS. 2 and 4 of the drawings, permitting the portions 41 and 43 respectively of the side panels to be bent about the fold lines 48 and 50 respectively to a plane approximately at right angles to the plane of the bottom portion or portions 45 and 47 respectively lying below the fold lines. The side panels 44 and 46 may have conventional flaps 40 and 42 attached at their upper edges as illustrated in FIG. 4. At the upper right hand and left hand corners of the side panels 44 and 46 are attached a portion 29 or a latch assembly 80.

When the container is in an assembled condition such that it may assume the normal uncollapsed or expanded condition from the collapsed condition, the lower edges below hinge lines 18, 2t 48 and 50 of the end and side panels are attached together forming corners of the container and providing a rigid bottom portion for the container suitable for storage. A cover 60 having a suitable attaching means may be used in conjunction with the container in both the collapsed and uncollapsed condition of said container or said cover may be merely held by the friction of side and end panels pressing against the inside surfaces of said cover as is illustrated in FIGS. 1 and 5.

On the inner side face of the end panels 14 and 16 and side panels 44 and 46 respectively, there is attached a flexible hinge 79 made of a suitable material such as paper, reinforced paper, plastic, etc. The hinge 70 has a portion 73 which is attached to the end panel along an area adjacent the vertical edges of the end panels such as by gluing, stapling, etc. The flexible hinge 70 has a further portion 71 which is attached to a side panel such as by glue, stapling, etc. between the line 74 and the fold lines 48 and 50 respectively of the side panels. The line 74 illustrates a dividing line between the attached area 71 of the hinge 70 and the unattached portion 72 of the hinge '70 thereby enabling the portion 72 of the hinge to be lapped over the attached portion 71 of said flexible hinge.

As will be apparent from the foregoing description and arrangement of parts it will be seen that the arrangement of the transverse fold lines 18, 2t), 48 and 50 in the end wall panels and the side wall panels enable the folding of the end and side panels of the container from an erect position lying in a plane perpendicular to the bottom panel, to a position where the upper portions 19, 21, 41 and 43 of the end and side panels may readily assume a position approximately parallel to the plane of the inside face of the bottom panel 12. This arrangement provides for a readily and simple inward collapsing of the upper portions of the panels with the still further provision of a storage space in the container when it is in the collapsed position thus providing for the storage of packing material such as egg separators when the container is not in use for storage and transportation of articles.

In the uncollapsed condition of the container the panels by virtue of the flexible flap are reinforced and strengthened against outward collapse of the container when it is used for the storage and transportation of articles or objects.

Although there has been shown and described herein a preferred form of the invention, it is to be understood that the invention is not necessarily confined there to, and that any change or changes in the structure of and in the relative arrangements of components thereof are contemplated as being within the scope of the invention as defined by the claims appended hereto.

What is claimed is:

1. A collapsible container adapted to be used for the storage and transportation of objects and articles in an expanded and uncollapsed condition and adapted to have a storage space for storage of packing separators and materials when in the collapsed position, comprising; a bottom panel, first and second end panels attached to said bottom panel and disposed at opposite end edges thereof, and first and second side panels attached to said bottom panel, and disposed at opposite side edges thereof, wheretached portions of the said end and side panels may be readily bent at a suitable fold line to a plane parallel to the plane of the bottom panel; a flexible hinge means having a first portion attached to an end panel, a second portion attached to a side panel, and a third portion which is flexible extending between said first and second portions of said flexible hinge means, the third portion of said flexible hinge means overlying an attached portion of the flexible hinge when the container is in a collapsed condition, whereby when said container is in an uncollapsed condition said third portion does not overlie the said secured portions of the flexible hinge and resists outward movement of the said end panels from an upright position; and, a latch means, said latch means having a first portion secured adjacent the side edges of said side panels and a second portion of said latch means secured adjacent the side edges of the end panels wherein the portion of the latch means secured to the end panels is interengageable with a portion of-the latch means secured to the side panels.

2. A collapsible container as set out in claim 1, further comprising, a divider panel attached to the bottom panel, said divider panel having a transverse fold line extending from a side edge of said divider panel to an opposite side edge of said divider panel and disposed above the bottom panel, whereby the portion of said divider panel above said fold line may be bent about said fold line to a plane parallel to the plane of the bottom panel.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS Hills Sept. 4, 1900 Swift Dec. 31, 1907 Meyerson Dec. 2, 1919 Bal July 22, 1924 Charters Nov. 10, 1925 

1. A COLLAPSIBLE CONTAINER ADAPTED TO BE USED FOR THE STORAGE AND TRANSPORTATION OF OBJECTS AND ARTICLES IN AN EXPANDED AND UNCOLLAPSED CONDITION AND ADAPTED TO HAVE A STORAGE SPACE FOR STORAGE OF PACKING SEPARATORS AND MATERIALS WHEN IN THE COLLAPSED POSITION, COMPRISING; A BOTTOM PANEL, FIRST AND SECOND END PANELS ATTACHED TO SAID BOTTOM PANEL AND DISPOSED AT OPPOSITE END EDGES THEREOF, AND FIRST AND SECOND SIDE PANELS ATTACHED TO SAID BOTTOM PANEL, AND DISPOSED AT OPPOSITE SIDE EDGES THEREOF, WHEREIN THE END EDGES OF SAID FIRST AND SECOND END PANELS ARE ATTACHED TO THE END OF SAID FIRST AND SECOND SIDE PANELS ALONG THE CORNERS FORMED BY SAID PANELS WHEN SAID PANELS ARE DISPOSED IN A PLANE PERPENDICULAR TO THE PLANE OF THE BOTTOM PANEL, AND SAID ATTACHMENT OF THE PANELS EXTENDS ALONG A PORTION OF THE SAID CORNERS LESS THAN THE ENTIRE DISTANCE THEREALONG, WHEREBY THE UNATTACHED PORTIONS OF THE SAID END AND SIDE PANELS MAY BE READILY BENT AT A SUITABLE FOLD LINE TO A PLANE PARALLEL TO THE PLANE OF THE BOTTOM PANEL; A FLEXIBLE HINGE MEANS HAVING A FIRST PORTION ATTACHED TO AN END PANEL, A SECOND PORTION ATTACHED TO A SIDE PANEL, AND A THIRD PORTION WHICH IS FLEXIBLE EXTENDING BETWEEN SAID FIRST AND SECOND PORTIONS OF SAID FLEXIBLE HINGE MEANS, THE THIRD PORTION OF SAID FLEXIBLE HINGE MEANS OVERLYING AN ATTACHED PORTION OF THE FLEXIBLE HINGE WHEN THE CONTAINER IS IN A COLLAPSED CONDITION, WHEREBY WHEN SAID CONTAINER IS IN AN UNCOLLAPSED CONDITION SAID THIRD PORTION DOES NOT OVERLIE THE SAID SECURED PORTIONS OF THE FLEXIBLE HINGE AND RESISTS OUTWARD MOVEMENT OF THE SAID END PANELS FROM AN UPRIGHT POSITION; AND, A LATCH MEANS, SAID LATCH MEANS HAVING A FIRST PORTION SECURED ADJACENT THE SIDE EDGES OF SAID SIDE PANELS AND A SECOND PORTION OF SAID LATCH MEANS SECURED ADJACENT THE SIDE EDGES OF THE END PANELS WHEREIN THE PORTION OF THE LATCH MEANS SECURED TO THE END PANELS IS INTERENGAGEABLE WITH A PORTION OF THE LATCH MEANS SECURED TO THE SIDE PANELS. 